In periods of sustained change, people pay closer attention to who they trust than to what is announced. Employees listen for consistency. Managers look for language that helps them guide teams without overpromising. Leaders sense when messages are technically accurate but not fully understood.

Inside many organizations, the work of making sense of change happens outside formal channels. It happens in conversations, peer groups and communities that help people orient themselves when things feel unsettled.

This is where Employee (or Business) Resource Groups (ERGs) do some of their most important work.

ERGs operate inside the everyday flow of work. They are places where questions are asked early, explanations are tested and trust is built or weakened in real time. When ERGs are treated as cultural extras, their influence stays limited. When they are designed with intention, they become part of how leadership, communication and learning actually function.

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